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August 2013

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final word | by Kirk Landers
It's all in the ask
E
ver wonder why some research studies show substantial public support for
increased fuel taxes and other studies
show the opposite?
It turns out, it's all in how you ask
the question.
Exhaustive proof of that is provided in the
Mineta Transportation Institute's fourth annual
survey of public opinion about paying additional
taxes to support transportation
infrastructure. Released in late
June, the report includes not
only the results of MTI's latest
survey, but also a synopsis of
more than 100 gas tax surveys
done at the state, local and
national level since 2005.
Generally, the surveys
reveal a taxpaying public that
will support a tax increase
if it has a defined purpose
that they value. Maintaining
the condition of roads and
bridges generally wins majority support and support from
a wide spectrum of political
and socio-economic segments
of the population.
The newest MTI survey, available free at http://
transweb.sjsu.edu/project/1228.html, applies many of
the implications of the previous studies to sample
public opinion about 11 different transportation
tax options, six of which won majority support.
The study is intended to help government leaders craft transportation funding programs to win
public support.
Researchers asked for public reaction to a 10cent fuel tax increase with six different questions.
When asked simply for their opinion on a 10-cent
increase, only 23 percent of Americans approved.
At the other end of the spectrum, when the
proposition was a 10-cent increase "with revenues
spent to maintain streets, roads and highways,"
"
70 August 2013 | EquipmentWorld.com
an impressive 67 percent of Americans said they
strongly or somewhat supported the tax option.
Support was nearly as strong when the increase
was attached to public safety; 62 percent supported a 10-cent increase in which revenues would be
spent on projects to reduce accidents and improve
safety. When the question stressed investment in
"more modern, technology advanced systems,"
support topped out at 58 percent, and when it
focused on reducing local air
pollution, support dropped to
53 percent.
Support for a 5-cent increase in the fuel tax with
no defined focus for the
revenues was supported by
51 percent, a slim majority.
Presumably, support for a
nickel increase would rise
substantially with a defined
benefit, such as investment
in road, bridge and highway
maintenance.
The study found surprisingly broad public support
for transit. Some 80 percent
of Americans felt that better
transit was important for their
states. That support becomes more complex when
taxes and spending are introduced to the discussion: less than half of all Americans know of the
federal government's role in funding public transit.
Most did not support increasing the fuel tax or
transit fares to improve transit, but a significant
majority, 64 percent, support spending current fuel
tax revenues on transit.
If you want to see stronger government investment in road and bridge infrastructure, make sure
your elected leaders and their key staff people
see this study. Don't just send it to them. Send it
to them and ask them to discuss the findings with
you in the context of your city, state and Congressional district. EW
Generally, the
surveys reveal a
taxpaying public
that will support
a tax increase if
it has a defined
purpose that
they value.
"